[amsat-bb] Is ISS Digipeater not always on for use?

[John Brier]

Thank you JoAnne and Bob. I really like learning about the ISS through ham
radio/ARISS as I can relate to it more since I actually interact with these
systems and people on it.

John, KG4AKV
On Jul 22, 2015 12:03 PM, "JoAnne Maenpaa" <k9jkm at comcast.net> wrote:

> > Thanks, that helps. I've seen that page but didn't glean that reasoning.
>
> I dug up an older ARISS posting which hopefully adds a bit more to the
> good explanation by Dan just a minute ago:
>
> ---
>
> The "new" radio is actually a Kenwood D710 which is located in the Russian
> Service module. The Service Module is where the ARISS team performed most
> of its contacts in the past as it was near the table where all the crew had
> dinner.  Since the first contacts with ARISS in 2000, the ISS has
> significantly expanded, both in size and in crew size.  ARISS has expanded
> too, with an additional station location in the Columbus module, which is
> on the other end of ISS (about football field in length).  This is where
> the US, Europe, Japan and Canada conducts most of its experiments and where
> they spend most of their time.  Right now we are using a lower power radio,
> an Ericsson handheld, in the Columbus module, as it was already on-board
> ISS (launched in 2000).  Our near term plans is to upgrade the Columbus
> station to a higher power radio (mobile radio class).  Keep an eye out for
> these plans to mature.
>
> Note that we are unable to move radios from the Russian segment (Service
> Module) to the US segment (where the Columbus module is located) as the
> power systems are different (28V vs 120 V) and certification for the
> Kenwood radios was only performed for the Russian segment. At the last
> ARISS International meeting, the delegates agreed with a plan to make sure
> all
> future equipment is interoperable and certified across the ISS.  This will
> cost more money and take more time, but should provide more equipment
> flexibility for ARISS.
>
> For now, APRS is using the lower power radio in the Columbus module.
>
> I hope this helps explain things.
>
> 73,  Frank Bauer, KA3HDO
> ARISS International Chair & AMSAT-NA V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs
>
> --
> 73 de JoAnne K9JKM
> k9jkm at amsat.org
> AMSAT VP User Services
>
>
>
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